Equipment for high line transfer

ABSTRACT

A deck fitting for releasably engaging and supporting the base member of a kingpost which is used in high line ship to ship transfer has an aperture for receiving the base member and one or more keys mounted at the side of the aperture. Each key has at least a portion which is movable towards and away from the center of the base member between a first position in which said portion protrudes from the side of the aperture to engage and support the base member and the second position in which the key is clear of engagement of the base member and allows a kingpost to be withdrawn to the deck fittings.

Inventors Stephen G. Schneller Laval, Quebec; David G. Lake, Chatrauguay Ctr., P. Q., both of, Canada Appl. No. 787,164

Filed Dec. 26, 1968 Patented Aug. I0, I97] Assignee Peacock Brothers Limited La Salle, Quebec, Canada Priority Oct. 28, 1968 Canada 033,722

EQUIPMENT FOR HIGH LINE TRANSFER 561 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 132,109 10/1872 Shrewsbury 279/117 3,066,969 12/1962 Camac 1 A A. 294/s6.29x 3,350,820 11/1967 SiOnCly 214/13x 3,371,562 3/1968 Kelley 294/86.3X 1,635,709 7/1927 Ernst 212/64 Primary ExgminerGerald M Forlenza Assistant Examiner-Frank E. Werner An0meyStevens, Davis, Miller & Mosher ABSTRACT: A deck fitting for releasably engaging and supporting the base member of a kingpost which is used in high line ship to ship transfer has an aperture for receiving the base member and one or more keys mounted at the side of the gchimssnrawing Figs aperture. Each key has at least a portion which is movable US. Cl 214/13, towards and away from the center of the base member I04]! 14, 212/72 between a first position in which said portion protrudes from Int. Cl B63b 27/18 the side of the aperture to engage and support the base 2l4/l3, i4; member and the second position in which the key is clear of 2l2/3, 72; l04/l l2-l 17; 279/77, 78, 89, I I7, 6; engagement of the base member and allows a kingpost to be 294/863 withdrawn to the deck fittings.

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sum 1 BF 3 EQUIPMENT FOR HIGH LINE TRANSFER The present invention relates to high line transfer systems for transferring loads along a high line extending for example between two ships at sea. The invention is particularly concerned with equipment carried by a ship for receiving loads transferred along a high line.

Known equipment for receiving loads by high line transfer systems includes a mast known as a kingpost adapted to be held in erect position on the deck of a ship, andhaving attachment means to which an end of the high line is attached when the ship is receiving a load. The high line attachment means may be vertically movable on the kingpost to allow loads to be lowered onto the deck when they have traversed the high line. A vertically movable high line attachment means used for this purpose is termed a sliding padeye.

When the high line is not in use it is desirable that he kingpost be stowed, for example by being lowered into trunking below the deck level. For this purpose a deck fitting is provided mounted over an aperture in the deck which can support the base of the kingpost when the kingpost is erected in the operative position, the deck fitting being disengageable from the base of the kingpost to allow the kingpost to be stowed when not in use. The deck fitting must withstand the vertical forces derived from the high line tension and the weight of the kingpost. The deck fitting must also withstand a part of the horizontal forces derived from the horizontal component of the high line tension, these horizontal forces being distributed between the deck fitting and stays attached between the top of the kingpost and the deck.

In this specification, references to vertical" or horizontal" will be understood to mean, respectively, perpendicular and parallel to the deck of the ship, irrespective of the orientation of the deck at any instant.

In order for a kingpost to receive loads delivered from different sides of the ship, the kingpost is generally rotatable, and for this purpose it is rotatably supported in a base member which base member is engaged by the deck fitting. The present invention is concerned with an improved deck fitting for releasably engaging with such a base member.

According to the present invention, a deck fitting for releasably engaging and supporting the base member of a kingpost has an aperture for receiving said base member and one or more keys mounted at the side of said aperture, each key having at least a portion thereof movable towards and away from the center of the base member between a first position in which said portion protrudes from the side of the aperture to engage and support the base member, and a second position in which the key is clear of engagement with the base member and allows the kingpost to be stowed.

Preferably, a plurality of keys is provided, the keys being mounted at opposite sides of the aperture.

In a preferred embodiment, the keys are in the form of cams rotatable in a plane parallel to the deck, said cams being shaped and positioned so that in a first rotational position portions of the cams protrude from the sides of the aperture to engage and support the base member, and in a second rotational position the cams are clear of engagement with the base member and allow the kingpost to be stowed.

In this context the term cams" is intended to mean merely keys in the form of noncircular or eccentrically mounted rotatable members, each having one portion thereof which projects into engagement with the base member at the first position and which is clear of engagement therewith at the second position.

Preferably, means are provided for simultaneously rotating all the cams between their first positions and second positions, and such means may comprise a gear ring arranged to transmit rotational movement to all the cams. The cams themselves may carry gear teeth engaging with the teeth of the gear ring.

In a preferred embodiment, the aperture in the deck fitting is substantially circular, at leastin the region thereof which receives the base member, and the base member is also circular and is arranged to fit within the aperture and to be engaged by the keys or cams without requiring rotational alignment in the aperture. The cams are arranged so that in their first position cam portions project from the sides of the deck aperture to engage the base member, for example by locating in a slot in the base member, and so that in their second position the formerly projecting cam portions lie within the sides of the deck aperture.

Where the cams are required to establish the plane in which the base member is held, preferably at least three cams are used, and in a preferred embodiment six cams are equispaced around the aperture.

Where the kingpost carries a vertically sliding padeye, it is sometimes arranged so that the post is lowered into the deck by running the padeye down to its lowest position until the padeye is in effect, supporting the post on the deck fitting, whereupon the deck fitting may release the base member so that the post may be lowered through the padeye by means of the same mechanism used to raise the padeye on the post. If this procedure is adopted it is highly desirable to provide a safety interlock to prevent the deck fitting from releasing the base member of the post unless the padeyeis in its lowest position in which the padeye engages with the deck fitting to support the kingpost. In the present invention, such an interlock is provided for by a catch member having a lug which engages in a detent on the gear ring operating the cams, and which prevents the gear ring from being rotated unless the catch member is depressed by the lowering of the padeye onto the deck fitting.

A particular embodiment of the present invention will now be described by'way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a partially sectioned elevation of a kingpost and deck fitting according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional plan view taken on line II-II of FIG. I but with the internal details of the kingpost not shown; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation on line III-III of FIG. 2 of a part of the kingpost deck fitting with the padeye near to its lowest position.

Referring to FIGS 1 and 2, a kingpost 10 is shown mounted vertically on the deck 11 of a ship by means of a deck fitting indicated generally at 12. The deck fitting releasably holds the kingpost so that when the kingpost is not required it may be lowered and stowed within trunking lla below the deck level. For convenience, the central portion of the kingpost is not shown, but in fact the total height of the kingpost may be 15 to 20 feet or more.

The kingpost 10 has at its lower end a stem or spigot I5, which is carried by a spherical bearing 14 held by a base member 13. The base member is engaged in the deck fitting I2, to be described in more detail hereinafter. The bearing 14 allows the kingpost to be rotated in the base member 13, as may be necessary according to the direction from which the kingpost is to receive loads transferred along the high line. The spherical bearing I4 also allows for some deflection of the kingpost from the vertical position, the kingpost being held in an approximately vertical position by stays or cables (not shown) running from the attachment points 16 at the top of the kingpost to secure fittings on the deck. The arrangement of stays is such as to maintain the kingpost in an approximately vertical position even when heavily loaded by the high line, and under such conditions slight bending of the kingpost occurs which is also accommodated by the bearing 14.

A padeye 20, to which the high line is attachable, is shown at the top of the kingpost in a position suitable for transfer of loads along the high line. For lowering loads onto the deck the padeye is vertically movable on rollers 21 engaging the kingpost, the padeye being movable by means of chains 21a actuated by a screw andnut mechanism within the post. This screw and nut mechanism is not shown but is generally similar to that described in US. Pat. No. 3,350,820. To raise or lower the padeye, the screw of the mechanism, which is substantially coaxial with the post, is driven by a reversible motor 22 (indicated diagrammatically) mounted on the stem of the kingpost below the base member 13. This motor 22 drives the screw via gears 23 and 24, a drive shaft 25 which extends coaxially through stem 15, and a flexible coupling 25a. The chains operated by the screw and nut mechanism pass around pulleys 26 at the upper and lower ends of the kingpost. Details of the chain and drive arrangement are given in our copending Pat. application No. 787,165, and details of the padeye are given in our copending Pat. application No. 787,174v

Turning to the details of the deck fitting 12 with which the present invention is concerned, this deck fitting is fixed by means of bolts 27 above an opening 17 in the deck II. The deck fitting includes a main plate 18 having an aperture 19 situated above the opening 17. This aperture is square where it meets the upper side of the plate 18 (as shown in FIG. 2), but the underside of this aperture is in the form of an enlarged cir cular seating 190 which closely fits the circular base member 13.

The underface of the plate 18 also has recesses 28 equispaced around the seating I90, and a circular groove 28a communicates with the outer portions of the recesses. These recesses and the groove accommodate cams and operating means to be described. A plate 29 having a circular aperture corresponding to seating 19a is held between the underside of the plate I8 and the top of deck lll, so as to form a cover plate for the recesses 28 and the groove 28a. Six vertical bores are provided extending through the plate I8 and through the plate 29 each in the region of one of the recesses 28, and each bore carries the spindle 31 of a horizontally rotatable cam 32. The cams are of oval form, and are eccentrically mounted as shown in FIG. 2. The cams are so shaped and positioned that in a first rotational position (that shown in FIGS. l and 2) a portion of each of the cams protrudes from the side of aperture 19a to engage in a circumferential slot 13a of the base member 13 to support the base member and the kingpost attached thereto, and in a second rotational position displaced about 90 from the first position the cams are tangential to the base member and are clear of engagement therewith.

Each cam 32 includes a segment having gear tooth form, as indicated in FIG. 2. The cam gear teeth engage with inwardly projecting toothed portions of a gear ring 33, which ring extends around the outside of all the cams, and slides within the groove 28a. The gear ring 33 engages the gear teeth of all the cams in a similar manner, so that anticlockwise rotation of the gear ring by a small amount rotates all the cams simultaneously from the first position (as shown) to the second position in which the cams are disengaged from the base member 13.

The spindle 3la of one of the cams 32a is keyed to that cam and has an upwards extension 35 provided with an operating handle 36. This handle 36 provides means for operating all the cams, since the rotation of the cam 32a is communicated to all the cams simultaneously by the action of the gear ring 33 just described.

Referring now to FIG. 3, this shows a further cross-sectional view of the deck fitting l2 and the kingpost base member 13 as already described. The gear ring 33 is shown with a detent 33a (also indicated in FIG. 2), and a catch member 38 is verti cally slidable within a drilling in the plate I8 and has a lug 39 which, in the position shown, engages in the detent 33a to prevent rotation of the gear ring 33. The catch member 38 is urged upwardly into the position shown by a spring 40 engaging on its lower end. The catch member 38 has an extension 41, mounted eccentrically to the main body of the catch member, which extends upwardly above the surface of the plate 18, and constitutes means whereby the catch member may be depressed to release the lug 39 from the detent 33a. The eccentric mounting of the extension 41 with respect to the main body of the catch member prevents rotation of the catch member in its mounting.

As also shown in FIG. 3, the lower end of the padeye is provided with locating bars 43 (only one of which is shown), which locate between the two pairs of lugs 44 extending up wardly from the plate I8, which lugs are also shown in FIG. 2.

The bar 43 shown in FIG. 3 serves to depress the catch member 38 against its spring when the padeye is fully lowered and located on the deck fitting, thus releasing the gear ring 33. In operation, high line transfer takes place with the kingpost erected and with its base member 13 locked into the deck fitting 12 by the six cams 32 engaging in the slot 134, as previously described. During such operations guy lines or stays maintain the vertical position of the kingpost, which may however rotate, or deflect slightly from the vertical position, in the spherical bearing I4.

On completion of the high line transfer, the padeye 20 is lowered onto the deck fitting, with the locating bars 43 sliding down between the pairs of lugs 44 to ensure correct location of the padeye. The final vertical movement of the padeye depresses the catch member 38 and frees the gear ring 33. The padeye is then secured onto the deck fitting by means of bars (shown at 49) which are pivotally attached to the plate 18 and which engage, by means of nuts, external lugs 50 of the padeye.

At this stage the operating handle 36 is used to rotate the cam 320 into the position at which the cam lies tangential to the aperture of the deck fitting and is clear of engagement with the base member 13, and this movement causes the gear ring 33 to rotate and thus rotates all the earns 32 in a similar manner.

With the deck fitting disengaged in this manner, the screw and nut mechanism normally used for moving the padeye upwards on the kingpost is operated in the same manner to lower the kingpost down through the padeye. The kingpost runs downwardly through the padeye which guides the post and prevents rotation thereof. When the top of the kingpost has been lowered to a convenient height, the guy lines or stays are removed from the attachment points 16, and after the kingpost has been lowered to its lowest position, it is secured to the deck fitting by bars (not shown) which engage, by means of nuts, with lugs 51 on the top of the kingpost.

For raising the kingpost prior to commencing high line transfer, the kingpost is released from the bars and raised and secured in position by a procedure which is the reverse of that just outlined.

As compared to breech type interrupted thread deck fittings previously employed for releasably mounting a kingpost on a deck, the present invention offers the following advantages:

1. the present-type fitting is lighter, uses less material, and requires less machining;

2. no rotational alignment between the base member and the aperture of the deck fitting is required when the base member is fitted into the aperture and engaged by the cams.

The invention has been particularly described with reference to rotatable keys of camlike form, but it is envisaged that fairly similar arrangements could make use of one or more sliding keys, each key being wholly or in part movable towards or away from the center of the base member. This essential feature of using keys having portions movable in this way allows the base member to be a simple circular member which requires little machining and which does not require rotational alignment in the deck fitting aperture. For example, the base member may be a simple disc, without any slots, the keys being arranged to engage underneath this member.

We claim:

1. A deck fitting for releasably engaging and supporting the base member of a kingpost,

a. said deck fitting having an aperture for receiving said base member and one or more keys mounted at the side of said aperture and having at least a portion thereof movable towards and away from the center of the base member,

. said keys being rotatable in a plane parallel to the deck,

c. said keys being shaped and positioned so that in a first rotational position portions of the keys protrude from the sides of the aperture to engage and support the base member, and

d. in a second rotational position in which the key is clear of engagement with the base member and allows the kingpost to be withdrawn through the deck fitting.

2. A deck fitting according to claim 1 wherein a plurality of said keys is provided, said keys being mounted at opposite sides of said aperture.

3. A deck fitting according to claim I, wherein means are provided for simultaneously rotating all the keys from their first positions to their second positions.

4. A deck fitting according to claim 3, wherein the means for simultaneously rotating the keys comprises a gear ring arranged to transmit rotational movement to all the keys.

5. A deck fitting according to claim 4, wherein the keys include a gear toothed segment, engaging with internal gear teeth on the gear ring.

6. A deck fitting according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the said keys is keyed to a projecting spindle, and wherein means are provided for rotating the spindle and the key attached to the spindle whereby all the keys are simultaneously rotated.

8. A deck fitting according to claim 1, wherein there is provided a safety interlock selectively operable for preventing release of the base member from the deck fitting.

9. A deck fitting according to claim 4, wherein;

a. a safety interlock is provided for preventing release of the base member from the deck fitting except when a padeye slidable on the kingpost is near to its lowest position,

b. said interlock comprising a catch member having a lug which engages in a detent in the said gear ring, and

c. which lug prevents rotation of the gear ring unless the catch member. is depressed by the lowering of the padeye onto the deck fitting.

9. A deck fitting according to claim 1, wherein,

a. the aperture in the deck fitting is circular at least in the region thereof which receives the base member, and

b. in which the base member is also circular and can be received by the aperture and engaged by the keys without requiring rotational alignment in the aperture. 

1. A deck fitting for releasably engaging and supporting the base member of a kingpost, a. said deck fitting having an aperture for receiving said base member and one or more keys mounted at the side of said aperture and having at least a portion thereof movable towards and away from the center of the base member, b. said keys being rotatable in a plane parallel to the deck, c. said keys being shaped and positioned so that in a first rotational position portions of the keys protrude from the sides of the aperture to engage and support the base member, and d. in a second rotational position in which the key is clear of engagement with the base member and allows the kingpost to be withdrawn through the deck fitting.
 2. A deck fitting according to claim 1 wherein a plurality of said keys is provided, said keys being mounted at opposite sides of said aperture.
 3. A deck fitting according to claim 1, wherein means are provided for simultaneously rotating all the keys from their first positions to their second positions.
 4. A deck fitting according to claim 3, wherein the means for simultaneously rotating the keys comprises a gear ring arranged to transmit rotational movement to all the keys.
 5. A deck fitting according to claim 4, wherein the keys include a gear toothed segment, engaging with internal gear teeth on the gear ring.
 6. A deck fitting according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the said keys is keyed to a projecting spindle, and wherein means are provided for rotating the spindle and the key attached to the spindle whereby all the keys are simultaneously rotated.
 7. A deck fitting according to claim 4, wherein; a. a safety interlock is provided for preventing release of the base member from the deck fitting except when a padeye slidable on the kingpost is near to its lowest position, b. said interlock comprising a catch member having a lug which engages in a detent in the said gear ring, and c. which lug prevents rotation of the gear ring unless the catch member is depressed by the lowering of the padeye onto the deck fitting.
 8. A deck fitting according to claim 1, wherein there is provided a safety interlock selectively operable for preventing release of the base member from the deck fitting.
 9. A deck fitting according to claim 1, wherein, a. the aperture in the deck fitting is circular at least in the region thereof which receives the base member, and b. in which the base member is also circular and can be received by The aperture and engaged by the keys without requiring rotational alignment in the aperture. 